Hinge construction for eyeglass cases and the like



Feb. 16, 1937. R. M. DUGDALE HINGE CONSTRUCTION FOR EYEGLASS CASES AND THE LIKE Filed March 28, 1955 Patented Feb. 16, 1937 PATENT OF HINGE CONSTRUCTION FOR EYEGLASS CASES AND THE LIKE Application March 28, 1935, Serial No. 13,409

12 Claims.

In the manufacture of sheet-metal eyeglass cases and the like his customary to mount the hinge on tongues struck inwardly from the rear walls of the top and bottom parts of the case, consequently leaving openings which are visible from the outside if the case is uncovered and, even if the case is covered, showing the outlines of the openings in the covering material.

Objects of the present invention are to avoid openings in the outside Walls of the case and at the same time to provide a rigid mounting for the hinge which does not substantially reduce the internal dimension of the case, which strengthens the edges of the case adjacent the hinge and which aifords space for the hinge pintle substantially in the plane of the rear wall of the case.

The invention involves a hinge support disposed against the inner surface of the case adjacent its rear edge, with tongues struck inwardly from the support for attachment to the hinge. The hinge support is preferably in the form of a lip folded inwardly through one hundred and eighty degrees, thereby greatly strengthening the rear edge of the case against flexure transversely of the hinge pintle. The lip is formed by providing an extension on one side of the sheet-metal blank and the extension is preferably folded about a line inwardly offset from the edge of the case, the rear wall of the case being slit inwardly on each side of the extension for this purpose, thereby providing a space for the hinge pintle substantially in the plane of the rear wall of the case.

For the purpose of illustration a typical embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawing in which,

Fig. 1 is the rear edge view of an eyeglass case;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the lower half of the case before the covering and hinge are applied;

Fig. 3 is a front view of the open case with parts broken away; and

Fig. 4 is a section on line dl of Fig. 3.

The typical embodiment of the invention chosen for the purpose of illustration comprises top and bottom parts I and 2, each covered on the outside with sheet material which extends inwardly over the edges of the parts to the lines 3 and 4 in Fig. 3. The two parts are hinged together by two parts 5 and 6 pivoted together on a pintle l and attached to the two parts of the case by means of tongues 8 extending from the case through openings in the parts 5 and 6 and thence bending over the hinge. Two springs 9 hook over the two parts of the hinge to hold the case in either open or closed position. The inside of the case is covered with a single piece H3 of sheet material extending continuously over the hinge as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 5 According to this invention the tongues 8 are not struck up from the exterior portions of the top and bottom parts I and 2 but are formed on flanges H in the form of extensions on the rear edges of the two parts of the case, the extensions 10 being folded inwardly through one hundred and. eighty degrees so that the flanges lie against the inside of the case parts. As shown in-Figs. 1 and 2 the lines about which these extensions are folded inwardly are slightly oifset inwardly of the parts I and 2 (upwardly and downwardly in Fig.

1) from the juxtaposed edges of the case parts to provide space for the pintle of the hinge while permitting the two parts of the case to seat tightly against each other on each side of the hinge.

By folding the extensions l I sharply through one hundred and eighty degrees against the inside of the case the rear edges of the case are strongly reinforced against flexing inwardly or outwardly, thereby safeguarding the hinge against excessive friction or Worse damage due to deformation of the rear edges of the case in the process of assembling the parts or in use after the parts are assembled.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that this invention includes all modifications and equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A sheet-metal case having a lip folded in-' wardly against the inside of the case, tongues struck inwardly from the lip, and a hinge fastened to the case by said tongues. 40

2. A sheet-metal case having on one side an extension folded inwardly about a line inwardly offset from the edge of the case to provide space along the fold line for the pintle of a hinge, and a hinge mounted on the extension with its pintle in said space.

3. A sheet-metal case having on one side an extension folded inwardly againstthe inside of the case about a line inwardly offset from the edge of the case to provide space along the fold line, and a hinge mounted on the extension with a portion thereof disposed in said space.

4. A sheet-metal case having a hinge support disposed against its inner surface adjacent its edge, tongues struck inwardly from said support,

and a hinge fastened to the case by said tongues.

5. A sheet-metal case recessed along one edge, a hinge support disposed inside the case adjacent said recess, tongues struck from said support, and a hinge fastened to the case by said tongues with a portion thereof extending into said recess.

6. A case comprising top and bottom parts correspondingly recessed along juxtaposed edges, a hinge support disposed inside each part adjacent its recess, tongues struck from said supports, and a hinge fastened by said tongues with a portion extending into said recesses.

'7. A case comprising sheet-metal top and bottom parts each having, along its rear edge, an extension folded inwardly about a line inwardly offset from the edge of the part to provide a space between the parts, and a hinge mounted on said extensions with a portion thereof disposed in said space.

8. A case comprising top and bottom parts hinged together, one of the parts being formed of sheet material and having on its hinge side an extension folded inwardly against the inside of the part, and means connected to said extension for interconnectig the parts.

9. A case comprising sheet-metal top and bottom parts and a hinge for pivotally interconnecting the parts along juxtaposed edges, one of the parts having an inwardly folded flange along its said edge and tongues struck inwardly from said flange about base lines extending transversely of said edge for attachment to said hinge.

10. A case comprising sheet-metal top and bottom parts and a hinge for pivotally interconnecting the parts along juxtaposed edges, one of the parts having a recess along its said edge and, at the bottom of the recess, an inwardly folded flange, and tongues struck inwardly from said flange about base lines extending transversely of said edge for attachment to said hinge.

11. The combination of a sheet-metal case and a hinge, a. part of the case being extended along its hinge edge to provide a reinforcing portion folded along said edge and tongues folded over said hinge.

12. A sheet-metal case having an integral extension along one edge, a hinge, said extension comprising tongues folded over said hinge.

RICHARD M. DUGDALE. 

